Breakdancing has officially made its mark as an Olympic sport, debuting at the 2024 Paris Games. This momentous occasion highlights the evolution of a dance form that began in the Bronx during the 1980s and has since captivated audiences worldwide. Originally known as “breaking,” the dance style was born from the innovative DJ Kool Herc, who revolutionized music by extending the breaks in the beat. These elongated breaks, known as the “go off,” gave dancers more time to hit the floor and showcase their moves, laying the foundation for what would become a global phenomenon.
Fast forward to the present, and breaking is now sharing the Olympic spotlight alongside traditional sports. Initially, the competition begins with the B-Girls, who will battle it out today for the coveted medals. Subsequently, the format kicks off with a round-robin tournament, where four groups of four breakers each face off in two rounds. The top two breakers from each group, determined by the number of rounds won, will move on to the quarterfinals. Finally, the competition intensifies, with the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals all featuring three rounds in a traditional bracket style.
One of the key challenges for breakers is avoiding repetition. During the round-robin stage, competitors must impress the judges while strategically saving their most impressive moves for the later rounds. The introduction of breaking to the Olympics is part of the International Olympic Committee’s broader initiative to engage younger audiences and infuse an urban flavor into the Summer Games. This follows the inclusion of sports like skateboarding and surfing, which made their debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
As the B-Girls compete today, the B-Boys will take the stage on Saturday, August 10. The breaking competitions at the Paris Games will be broadcast live on E!, with the women’s events starting at 10 a.m. ET and the finals at 2 p.m. ET. The men’s competition will follow the same schedule on Saturday.